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Tetsukame-class sea fortress
The Tetsukame-class sea fortresses are large, mobile naval weapons platforms constructed in Izumo and operated by the Imperial Izumo Navy. Resembling miniaturised versions of the Kitaga Genbu-Class floating fortress, the Tetsukame-class is intended for blockading, area denial and bombardment duties. The class is outfitted for ship-to-ship combat, with long-range "ship-killer" missiles and powerful 350mm cannons that can fire both normal and superheated rounds over 42km. Six Sea Fotresses were completed, but only five are in active service with the final Fortress currently undergoing experimental refit into an aircraft carrier. Interestingly, the Tetsukame-class is equipped with AI systems such as that found in the semi-autonomous YAGR-6D drone gunship. In theory, this would allow the Sea Fortresses to act autonomously, even with the absence of a crew. Description Design (WIP) As the Empire of the Rising Sun's ambitious plans of dominating the Western hemisphere started to crumble, the nation's leading weapons manufacturers scrambled to come up with contingency plans that would appeal to their shareholders. Thus did the imminent defeat of the Empire directly bring about the merger of two of the top Imperial corporations, Tenzai Robotics and Shirada Shipworks (now reformed under the banner of Ten-Shi Zaibatsu). Desperate times caused these former competitors to set aside their differences and execute a long-dormant proposal made possible only by a harmonious union and their respective expertise. The result is a machine that even the Empire of the Rising Sun's best scientific and military minds previously thought impossible. No, the Giga-Fortress cannot bring back to life the Empire of the Rising Sun's late Emperor Yoshiro. However, this semi-sentient computer-controlled weapons platform is programmed to exact terrible revenge on the Empire's now-numerous enemies - even if the day comes when no Imperial men or women are left to continue the fight. The idea of a weapon that can continue fighting self-reliantly even without human operators is suggestive of the depths of desperation the Empire's fiercest loyalists fell to. Nevertheless, the Giga-Fortress apparently is real, judging by a growing number of independently-verified accounts coming from Imperial defectors, Soviet prisoners of war, and Allied servicemen. Assuming these accounts can be taken at face value, the Giga-Fortress must be far and away the most expensive and largest fighting craft ever developed by the Empire of the Rising Sun (or any nation, for that matter). Even an Allied Aircraft Carrier or a Soviet Kirov Airship would be dwarfed by the sheer size of this thing, yet almost none of the innards of the Giga-Fortress are crew-quarters. Instead, the Giga-Fortress is said to be lined with an untold number of servers, communications arrays, and self-diagnostic systems, many of which are purposely redundant. A bridge, adjacent bunks, and mess hall were the only quarters built for a human crew, and even these amenities were mostly for formality's sake. No expense was spared in the production of this craft. Instead the Giga-Fortress must have been built under the nihilistic assumption that no crew would be available to steer the thing along its deadly course. UprisingGigaFortressArt The Giga Fortress is any ground unit's worst nightmare. Originally thought to be two completely separate platforms, the Giga-Fortress is now believed to be a single entity capable of assuming two completely different forms: a massive sea-fortress, bristling with more than half a dozen heavy-duty cannons and multiple independently-tracking missile systems; and a sky-fortress, built to resemble a monstrous face, armed with a devistating arsenal called the "God's Breath device" located in the "mouth" of the Giga Fortress. The shotgun wedding of Tenzai Robotics and Shirada Shipworks made all this possible, in what may one day considered be among the most outlandish acts of the post-war Empire. As well, it may be remembered as the pinnacle of military robotics. Shirada's advanced weapons, composite armor, and floating fortress nautical locomotors were seamlessly merged with Tenzai's most sophisticated artificial intelligence (A.I.) and dual-stage variable form systems in the construction of this weapon. Those directly responsible are anonymous, likely deceased; some Allied officials have even speculated that the computer-driven Giga-Fortress is the cynical by-product of war criminals refusing accountability for their actions. Thankfully, as yet there are no publicly documented incidents of a Giga-Fortress attack, and this may be why the machine has no known weaknesses. It is believed to have no moral inhibitions, either, at least not by those who accept that the Giga-Fortress is self-aware to whatever extent is possible for a computer-controlled machine. Its "personality", according to this camp, has been programmed with a version of Imperial military doctrine that places the success of the mission, the ultimate victory of the Empire, and the total defeat of its enemies as top priorities, in that order. But unlike a zealous Imperial warrior, the Giga-Fortress A.I. has no concept of morale, no ability to second-guess officers or to misinterpret its directives, and no need for rest. It exists, perhaps, in a childlike or even a primal state only to fight until either it ceases to operate or the millions of individuals it "thinks" are enemies have been eliminated. One can only hope that the Allies quickly disarm however many of these things finished production. Ships in class *IYN Shogun **The first Shogun-class, equipped with two additional quadruple anti-aircraft guns as well as a slightly different superstructure. *IYN Otomo **The second Shogun-class, equipped with additional sensor equipment and armour. *IYN Uesugi **The third Shogun-class features additional VLS systems, upgraded from 12-cells to 24-cells, as well as the ability to fire VL-ASROCs. Additional sensor equipment was also added and the interior was somewhat redesigned. *IYN Shimazu **The fourth Shogun-class, this is equipped with additional long-range communications and satellite uplink equipment, as well as *IYN Takeda **The final Shogun-class and last to be completed, widely considered the most powerful of all ships, this ship features upgraded 24-cell VLS systems capable of firing VL-ASROCs, additional armour on the prow and superstructure, a redesigned interior like the IYN Uesugi as well as additional sensor and communications equipment. The IYN Takeda is sometimes dubbed the "Super Shogun". History See also